A Barn with a Mission: The Breakfast Club
Ultra Durable Technologies would like to extend a special shout out to Lars Anderson from Concrete Treatments, Inc. and our own Bryce Sunsdahl who joined our company president, Travis Negaard, as volunteers this past month at the Breakfast Club facility in Saint Michael, Minnesota. The Breakfast Club is a gorgeous new building that serves an important role in the lives of high schoolers in the community.
Humble Beginnings
With “Feeding our bellies, feeding our souls” as their motto, Jake and Christy Vanada, a local youth pastor and his wife, began hosting St. Michael-Albertville High School students in their home before school one Thursday each month. Their goal was to simply provide teens a homecooked breakfast, a prayer service, and a place to find a connection with other students. Twelve students attended that first Breakfast Club meeting in 2014, and over the years, the group has grown to include about 480 students.
A New Home
Because of the rapid growth in attendance, the Vanadas along with the help of hundreds of donors and volunteers, have built a permanent gathering place, a whitewashed barn with big-timber styling which can accommodate up to 500 students. It is conveniently located across the road from the high school, so students can park at school and walk right to their homeroom class afterward. Dozens of parents volunteer each month to provide students with a delicious, hot breakfast while students enjoy fellowship with their peers. Afterward, Pastor Jake shares a sermon that is relevant to high schoolers’ lives and offers a safe space for them to grapple with the issues facing them every day.
More Work to be Done
As the barn nears its completion, there is still work to be done. So far, the kitchen floors have been prepped by CTI and Ultra Durable Technologies has sealed them with EPIC for Concrete. Both companies have made the commitment to donate their time and products to beautify the entire barn’s new interior concrete floor. By stressing the importance of nurturing the next generation, the Breakfast Club’s mission is one we can all support.
